Chapter 86 086 "Disgraceful fellow, it's better for him to go down."...
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The next day.
After several doses of strong medicine, Pei Xuan's fever finally subsided. His already thin and slender figure, ravaged by the illness, became even more frail. When he stood up, he was tall and thin like a clothes hanger. His smoky blue Taoist robe fluttered in the breeze, making him appear even more handsome and refined.
The laws of nature have brought back spring, sweeping away the accumulated gloom from the mountains and rivers. The young Taoist priest, too, has shaken off his former dejection, as if he has been revived along with the spring, full of vitality. Although his body is no longer seriously injured, his inner strength is still empty, but he seems unconcerned. Because he has become much thinner, his eye sockets are slightly sunken, making his phoenix eyes shine even brighter, and he is incomparably handsome.
In contrast, Jiang Ling'er seemed to have contracted her illness, with dark circles under her eyes. Pei Xuan glanced at her and asked knowingly:
"Didn't sleep well?"
It's not that I didn't sleep well; it's that I didn't sleep at all.
Since Jiang Ling'er suddenly shouted "How could I possibly let Xiao Zao marry that guy Zhao Xiao!" in the middle of the night last night, she hasn't fallen asleep again. Instead, she ran outside, and no one knows where she went. When she returned, she was walking in the morning dew. Although it was still a chilly early spring, she was like a freshly baked steamed bun, with a layer of fine sweat on her forehead and the tip of her nose. Although there were two dark circles under her eyes, she was unusually energetic, her face was flushed, and she was still panting.
His exposed hands were especially red, with some new, small wounds.
The young Taoist priest was slightly taken aback for a moment. This was... a boxing match he had been practicing all night.
"It has nothing to do with you."
Jiang Ling'er didn't even glance at him when she heard this, and then bumped into his shoulder.
Pei Xuanzhen, like a delicate, boneless flower easily pushed over, hissed softly, clutched her shoulder, and took two steps back, smiling bitterly:
"At least I'm also ill..."
He stopped mid-sentence, looked up and saw Jiang Ling'er walk straight behind the screen, take off her outer garment and place it on the screen. He pursed his thin lips very slightly. Although he couldn't see anything through the screen, he turned his gaze away with the grace of a gentleman.
To leave the room, he had to go around this screen... so he couldn't leave, nor could he stay, so he wisely kept his mouth shut, patiently keeping his eyes down, silently counting to ten in his mind—
Hearing Jiang Ling'er leave, he twitched his brow and followed her.
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The best darts in the world.
The scene of the martial arts tournament.
Now, after nearly half a month of holding the martial arts tournament, it is drawing to a close. Those who remain are all the best of the best, the elite among elites.
Jiang Ling'er, dressed in a gray, fitted outfit, and already tall and slender, looked like a young swordsman. Just in case, she also covered her face with a cloth, just like foreigners, revealing only her almond-shaped eyes. In the current scene of the "Number One Escort" competition, which has gathered people from all over the world for the martial arts tournament, she was inconspicuous. Especially now that everyone's attention was focused on the swordsmen competing on the stage.
In this vast world, countless talents emerge.
In just half a day, Jiang Ling'er had seen many heroes from various factions in the North and South. When she saw Master Ma enter the stage, Jiang Ling'er almost cheered. However, Pei Xuan glanced at her first, and she gritted her teeth and shut her mouth. Luckily, she almost gave herself away!
Even though she couldn't make a sound, Jiang Ling'er secretly clenched her fists, cheering for Master Ma!
The man fighting against Master Ma was a tall, foreigner named Chunyu Hun.
Master Ma's reputation as "General on Horseback" is not small, and many discerning people have already recognized him. This tall foreigner, wielding a long spear, looks clumsy, but is surprisingly fierce.
A long spear whistled through the air, nearly forcing Master Ma off the stage several times!
After several hundred moves, Master Ma was unexpectedly defeated by this foreigner.
Jiang Ling'er felt both sorry for Master Ma and happy for him. Especially when Master Ma smiled and patted the foreign youth on the shoulder, showing no remorse despite his defeat, but rather even more joy—the delight of having met a worthy opponent. As the saying goes, no fight, no friendship, and the two had already agreed to go downstairs for drinks.
Jiang Ling'er glanced at the foreigner a few more times, especially at his thick, curly hair, and muttered, "This person... he looks strangely familiar." But she just couldn't remember him.
Pei Xuan stood beside her, arms crossed, gazing at the stage. He didn't take her words to heart, thinking to himself that Jiang Ling'er was just naturally carefree; Chunyu Hun had been staying at the same inn as them, and they had met several times without noticing each other.
--
The competition is still ongoing.
Coincidentally, she knew one of them.
The eldest disciple among the Seven Young Masters of Lingxiao, the oldest and most handsome boy, what was his name again...?
Yes, Wen Chengan.
Even a fleeting glimpse at the foot of Dagushan Mountain had left a deep impression on her with the young man's elegance and composure beyond his years.
The Lingxiao Sect was renowned as the most prestigious sword sect in the land, and the Seven Masters of Lingxiao were famous throughout the country. Sadly, for unknown reasons, they all died young. Jiang Ling'er's gaze fell upon the six equally youthful faces below the stage, gazing up at their senior brother, their expressions identical—both naive and spirited. Although they were merely seven inexperienced youths, the title "Little Seven Masters of Lingxiao" was not to be underestimated.
As expected, when the young man drew his longsword, unlike his refined and gentle appearance, the vast sword energy carried a chilling and murderous aura, somewhat reminiscent of the scene atop the Great Lonely Mountain where a young immortal wielded a frost-cold sword against Shui Rong.
Standing before Wen Cheng'an, the eldest disciple of the Lingxiao Sect, was a middle-aged man with a kind, baby-faced appearance, wearing a yellow Taoist robe and holding a whisk.
Although the yellow-robed Taoist priest's face was more than kind, practically harmless, his overall demeanor and bearing clearly indicated that he was no ordinary person.
The people in the audience were whispering and talking amongst themselves:
"I've heard that this is the first time that Master Zongshan of Danxia Cave has come down the mountain in six years of seclusion. Master Zongshan's name goes without saying. He has always been humble and has no interest in martial arts struggles. This time, he came down the mountain to participate in the martial arts conference in order to test the 'Thirteen Tongbi Styles' that he learned from the monkeys of Danxia Cave and has been studying diligently for six years! It seems that this young man from Lingxiao Sect is in trouble."
"With the Lingxiao Sect in the north and the Danxia Cave in the south, this is the first time that the two major Taoist sects in the world have clashed head-on. It's truly captivating!"
Jiang Ling'er heard cheers and applause interspersed around her. "True Lord Zongshan of Danxia Cave?" The name sounded familiar; she felt like she'd heard something similar before…
This thought vanished in an instant, and his attention was quickly drawn to the spectacular competitions and fights on stage.
However, Wen Cheng'an, one of the Seven Little Lingxiao Masters who was seventeen or eighteen years old, and Zongshan Zhenren, who was over forty years old, not only had a thirty-year age gap, but also a thirty-year gap in the accumulation of internal strength. Yet, they fought fiercely and were evenly matched for a time. After a hundred moves, Wen Cheng'an finally showed signs of fatigue and unfortunately lost to Zongshan Zhenren's "Thirteen Tongbi Styles".
The young man's face showed regret, but not the slightest resentment. He gripped his sword, bowed deeply to Master Zongshan:
"Thank you for your kind guidance, senior."
The yellow-robed Taoist priest had a kind, baby-faced appearance that made him look several years younger than his actual age, which made him instantly likable. Upon hearing this, Master Zongshan patted Wen Cheng'an on the shoulder with great satisfaction and sighed, "The younger generation is truly formidable."
Although they lost the battle, they were still honorable. After a moment of silence, the entire arena erupted in cheers, and even Jiang Ling'er couldn't help but shout, "Bravo!"
The crowd erupted in praise, especially Gan Zishi, the fourth of the Seven Little Lingxiao disciples, who cheered loudest for his senior brother. Wen Cheng'an, however mature, was still only a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy, and immediately blushed, repeatedly begging for mercy. Without a doubt, after this battle, the name of the Seven Little Lingxiao disciples would soon spread throughout the Jiangnan region.
While admiring her, Jiang Ling'er felt a subtle envy mixed with shame. She thought to herself, "People's eighteen-year-old selves are indeed different."
At eighteen, other people can make a name for themselves among the heroes of the world, while I, at seventeen or eighteen, am just following Ji Yunshu around all day, running after men and trying to win their favor. Although the reason is to find a home for the old镖头 (bodyguard/escort), it is still... truly shameful.
How embarrassing!
"Disgraceful fellow, it's better for him to go down."
Suddenly, a familiar voice came from beside him, which sounded particularly jarring amidst the cheers of praise.
For a moment, Jiang Ling'er thought the mockery was directed at her, and she immediately bristled. She turned her head sharply in the direction of the sound, and when she saw Pei Xuan standing beside her with his arms crossed, she paused slightly.
Perhaps because his identity as a member of the Lingxiao Sect was too conspicuous, the young Taoist did not choose to wear his usual smoky blue Taoist robe. Instead, he wore a simple coarse linen robe and a plain cloak. He also tacitly imitated the foreigners by wearing a long cloth around his neck to cover his face except for his eyes.
As if sensing her fiery gaze, Pei Xuan turned his head and met her eyes, then paused, surprised, and asked:
"I wasn't talking about you, why are you so angry?"
Jiang Ling'er choked, and when she saw the person looking at her with phoenix eyes, she immediately realized that the person was talking about Wen Cheng'an. It was just that Pei Xuan was too dissolute and unrestrained in his daily life, and for so long he had been a sickly and delicate flower who could only faint and have a high fever, which made her often forget that this young man was already the Xiaoyaozi Zhenren of the Lingxiao Sect, the number one sword sect in the world.
Although Danxia Cave and Lingxiao Sect are known as the two major Taoist sects of the time, Danxia Cave's origins and foundation are actually far inferior to those of Lingxiao Sect, which resides atop the high mountains of the north. No matter how skilled the True Lord of Danxia Cave is in martial arts, he is no match for a young Taoist.
Even if Pei Xuan was muddle-headed and incompetent, he was still Wen Cheng'an's junior uncle. Jiang Ling'er swallowed her words, feeling conflicted, but ultimately she still felt indignant for this humble young man, and frowned as she said:
"For someone so young, to be able to hold his own against True Monarch Zongshan of Danxia Cave within a hundred moves... that's quite remarkable, isn't it?"
The young Taoist priest scoffed at her words, his expression full of disdain: "Too weak a foundation." He then retorted, "How could my Lingxiao Sword Technique be defeated by a mere monkey showman's fancy moves?"
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
Playing, monkey, of, flower, frame, piece.
The "Thirteen Forms of Tongbei" that had just been so unexpected, captivating, and eliciting cheers were described by him as nothing more than a monkey show...
However, Jiang Ling'er immediately recalled the way this guy had once cleaved open the mountain gate with a single sword strike from his scabbard. He was the unparalleled genius in Yang Dalang's words, a truly gifted monster, and he was qualified to say such things.
What ordinary people consider the exquisite "Thirteen Forms of Tongbei" is probably no different from a monkey show in his eyes...
Jiang Ling'er subconsciously clenched her back teeth.
It's so sour.
It's so sour.
The desire to become stronger grew wildly once again, like weeds.
"When did you arrive... wait, something's not right." But then Jiang Ling'er suddenly remembered something and stared at him suspiciously, "How did you get in?"
A hero's invitation costs ten taels of silver. She managed to sneak in by taking one of those invitations. What about him?
Upon hearing this, the young Taoist priest casually replied, "I have my own brilliant plan." He then glanced at the person sitting high in the center of the martial arts arena, his phoenix eyes narrowing slightly. "I never expected that the newly appointed chief镖头 (chief镖师, head镖师) of the Number One Escort in the World would use the martial arts tournament to amass wealth... I've truly been exposed."
Jiang Ling'er followed Pei Xuan's gaze and looked at the young man on the high platform. Among the row of respected elders, Zhao Xiao, whose identity stood out, was the newly appointed chief镖头 (chief镖头) of the number one镖师 (镖师) in the world.
Zhao Xiao, for his meritorious act of turning down a family member and exposing the old镖头 (chief镖师, a high-ranking镖师 in the martial arts world), was exceptionally elected as the new Chief镖头 of the "Number One镖师 in the World." The old镖头, Jiang, was renowned for his virtue and benevolence, earning him widespread respect. Therefore, the martial arts tournament was held annually by the "Number One镖师," yet Zhao Xiao dared to use this opportunity to amass ill-gotten gains…
What do you think the title of "Number One Escort in the World" is?!
——
On the high platform of the martial arts arena.
The young man sitting in the center seemed to sense something and his gaze sharpened like a hawk as he looked down at the audience!
The refined-looking middle-aged man sitting beside him was Yuan Wenkang, the head of the Xuanwu Hall. Yuan Wenkang immediately noticed the movement beside him. Seeing the young man's sinister gaze fixed on the audience, he paused slightly and said in a low voice:
"Xiao'er, what's wrong?"
The young man was none other than Zhao Xiao, the new chief镖头 (chief镖头, meaning head镖师 ...) of the world's number one镖师 (镖师, meaning head镖师).
Zhao Xiao's cold gaze swept across the noisy crowd below the stage several times, his brow furrowing and then smoothing out. He withdrew his gaze and calmly said:
"It's nothing." Then, as if remembering something, his previously smoothed brows furrowed even more, revealing a hint of impatience. "Is she still causing trouble?"
Needless to say, Yuan Wenkang's expression changed slightly after a pause. Mentioning his beloved daughter, even the usually refined, gentle, and unflappable Xuanwu Hall Master lost his composure:
"Xiao Zao... Xiao Zao must have been frightened yesterday, she kept saying 'Run!'... But Xiao'er, don't worry. The martial arts contest for marriage tomorrow will definitely not be affected."
The young man gave a very soft "hmm" upon hearing this, then suddenly glared at him sideways:
"You should call me 'Chief Escort'."
The middle-aged man was taken aback. He had clearly watched this child grow up, yet it felt as if he were meeting him for the first time. This thought vanished in an instant. Being a thousand-year-old fox, the Xuanwu Hall Master immediately nodded slightly and smiled faintly, though the smile didn't reach his eyes:
"Yes, Chief Escort."
Zhao Xiao stopped looking at him and turned his gaze to the martial arts arena, watching the old man and the young man being cheered by the crowd. He suddenly stood up from his high position.
“Xiao…” Yuan Wenkang frowned, “Chief Escort…”
"If you're tired of sitting, stretch your muscles."
As Zhao Xiao spoke, he turned his head left and right, and before Yuan Wenkang could answer, he jumped off the high platform!
——
Below the platform, a tall, slender foreign youth grabbed the head of the boy beside him and shoved it down hard, pulling him into his arms wrapped in a wide cloak. The fragrance of trumpet creeper instantly enveloped Jiang Ling'er.
A warm breath lingered near her ear, whispering incessantly:
"Who are you glaring at? Don't you want to be conspicuous enough, or do you want to die? Even if you don't think about yourself, have pity on me. I followed you all the way from Dagushan to here, my martial arts are completely gone, and my health is inconsistent. I'm very afraid of dying now, so you have to protect me and take responsibility for me..."
It's like chanting a mantra, so noisy.
Jiang Ling'er was annoyed by the noise and retorted with a hint of venting her anger:
"Who asked you to come along!"
Looking up, they bumped into each other's superior jaws. One of them covered his forehead and hissed softly, while the other grimaced and covered his jaw. All the sounds were contained within the narrow cloak, which aroused... endless imagination.
"Could these two foreigners be... homosexuals?"
"Wow! This is the first time I've ever seen a live homosexual!"
Hearing the teasing voices around them, the two of them froze.
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
Pei Xuan: "..."
A mocking voice, like a thunderclap, rang out:
"Have eyes! They're hugging each other in broad daylight!"
Inside the cloak, a pair of phoenix eyes and a pair of almond eyes stared at each other, looking at each other. Jiang Ling'er placed her hands on Pei Xuan's chest, gritting her teeth and about to push him away when suddenly, an unexpected change occurred. A figure fell heavily off the stage, landing in front of the two of them!
Suddenly, the young man vomited a mouthful of blood. It was Wen Cheng'an, one of the Lingxiao Seven Sons who was still full of vigor on the stage.
The entire audience erupted in uproar!
Jiang Ling'er and Pei Xuan paused, their eyes sharp as blades as they simultaneously turned to the stage!
On the martial arts arena—
Gan Zishi, the fourth of the Seven Sons of Lingxiao, was trampled under Zhao Xiao's feet!
Zhao Xiao, with an arrogant and condescending expression, spoke each word with deference:
"Are you convinced?!"
In an instant, the horrific memories pierced Jiang Ling'er's mind like a dagger, overlapping with the scene before her eyes—
She was pinned down by Zhao Xiao's grip, her upper body forced to the ground, half her face submerged in the dirty water on the blue bricks, mud splattering all over her face and body. Zhao Xiao held her wrists behind her back with both hands, his right knee pressing humiliatingly against her thin neck, shouting loudly:
【Are you convinced? ! 】
Jiang Ling'er's face turned deathly pale, her long eyelashes trembled, and her nails dug fiercely into her flesh!
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The author's note: ① This is from Lu You's "Spring View".
Wishing everyone a happy May Day before it ends!
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2024-04-17 22:48:01 and 2024-05-05 20:17:06!
Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: Zhang Duoxi, 26 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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